Animal trap

ABSTRACT

An animal trap which includes a box having a cover with a tube opening through one end of the box and extending upwardly to the other end of the box at an angle to the horizontal. An opening on the top side of the tube intermediate its ends is provided and a hard ball is positioned in the tube nearly filling the tube. The animal to be trapped presses against the ball and rolls the ball up the tube until he can pass out of the tube through the top side opening therein whereupon the ball rolls back down the tube and traps the animal in the box.

United States Patent Barker [is] 3,681,869 51 Aug. 8, 1972 [s41 ANIMALTRAP 221 Filed: Aug. 19,1971

211 Appl.No.: 172,972

s2 113.01.... ..43/66 511 Int. Cl. ..-....A01m 23/08 581 Field of Search..43/66, 64, 65, 67, 60,58

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 944,926 12/1909 Tumbo..43/66 1,381,464 6/1921 Hulsmann ..43/66 FOREIGN PATENTS ORAPPLICATIONS 932,190 11/1947 France ..43/58 17,092 1891 Great Britain.....43/60 Primary Examiner-Werner H. Camp Attorney-Alexander B. Blair eta1.

[ ABSTRACT An animal trap which includes a box having a cover with atube opening through one end of the box and extending upwardly totheother end of the box at an angle to the horizontal. An opening on thetop side of the tube'intermediate its ends is provided and a hard ballis positioned in the tube nearly filling the tube. The animal to betrapped presses against the ball and rolls the ball up the tube until hecan pass out of the tube through the top side opening therein whereuponthe ball rolls back down the tube and traps the animal in the box.

5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures a 4 I a I J I l l i I I l I I I V vANIMALTRAP BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF OF. THE INVENTION Thepresent invention relates to animal traps of the type known as livetraps.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a livetrap for animals in which a covered container is provided with food andwater for trapped animals. A tube opens through one end wall of the trapand slopes upwardly to the opposite end wall having an opening in thetop side thereof intermediate its opposite ends. A'hard ball is mountedwithin the tube nearly filling the same and adapted to be rolled up thetube by an animal seeking access to the food and water. A detent at thebottom of the tube prevents the ball from rolling out of the tube. Theanimal noses the ball up the tube and then passes through the accessopening in the tube into the box while the ball rolls back down the tubeagainstthe detent to trap the animal in the box.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a live animal trapwhich uses the animals normal instinct for pushing objects out of theirway to become trapped.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the followingspecification when considered in the light of the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 2--2 of FIG.1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 3--3 of FIG. 1looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIG. 3looking in the direction of the arrows.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawingsindetail wherein like reference characters indicate like partsthroughout the several figures the reference numeral generally indicatesthe live animal trap constructed in accordance with the invention.

The live animal trap 10 includes a generally rectangular sheet metal box11 having a flat bottom wall 12, a pair of spaced parallel end walls 13,14 integrally formed on the bottom wall 12 and extending perpendicularlyupwardly therefrom. A pair of side walls 15, 16 extend perpendicularlyupwardly from the bottom wall 12 and are integrally joined to the endwalls 13, 14 at their meeting edges. A generally rectangular cover 17 issecured to the end wall 14 by a horizontal hinge 18 to normally closethe box 11. The latch 19 normally secures the cover 17 in closedposition in engagement with the top edges of the end walls 13, 14 andthe side walls 15, 16. A pair of relatively short partitions 20, 21 areformed on the bottom wall 12 extending between the end walls 13, 14 inspaced parallel relation to the side walls 15, 16 respectively. Thepartitions 20, 21 form compartments 22, 23 respectively for food andwater. A plurality of vent holes 24 are formed in the end walls 13, 14and the side walls 15, 16 for reasons to be assigned.

A generally cylindrical tube 25 is mounted in the box 11 and extendsfrom the end wall 13 to the end wall 14 from a position adjacent thebottom wall 12 to a position well above the bottom wall 12. The tube 25opens through the end wall 13 at its lowermost position. An opening 26is formed in the tube 25 on the upper face thereof intermediate the endwalls 13, 14. A spherical ball 27 is positioned in the tube 25 and has adiameter slightly less than the internal diameter of the tube 25 so thatit can roll freely therein. The'ball 27 is formed of sufficiently hardmaterial such as' glass, to prevent it being destroyed by gnawing of thetrapped animal. A detent 28 is formed in the lower end of the tube 25 toprevent the ball 27 from rolling out of the tube 25.

In the use and operation of the invention the box 11 is positioned wheremice or other animals have been observed with the compartments 22, 23filled with water and food. Mice attempting to reach the food in the box11 will press against the ball 27 and finding that it will move willroll it up the tube 25 until the animal can escape from the tube 25through the opening 26.

v As soon as the animal leaves the tube 25 the ball 27 rolls back downthe tube 25 until it engages the detents I 28 and the trap isautomatically reset for the next animal while securely fastening thefirst animal therein. The food and water in the compartments 22, 23 notonly serve as bait to cause the animals to want to enter the box 11 butafter they have entered the box 11 will keep them alive for an extendedperiod of time so as not to putrefy and cause undesirable odors in thearea where the animals are being trapped. The box 11 need only beemptied at infrequent intervals.

The natural tendency of rodents when trying to reach food is to nose anykind of object out of their way that will move while gnawing through anyother objects of a material which will permit gnawing. The constructionof the box and tube is entirely of sheet metal of the type which is noteasily destroyed by animal gnawing.

Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the invention itshould be understood that numerous structural modifications andadaptations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

lclaim:

1. An animal trap comprising a closed box, a tube opening through oneend of said box and sloping upwardly therefrom through said box, anopening in the upper side of said tube intermediate the opposite endsthereof, and a ball positioned in said tube nearly filling said tube forrolling action therein, said ball being movable by an animal from saidend opening up said tube past said upper side opening to permit theanimal to enter the box with the ball rolling back down the tube toclose the end opening and trap the animal.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said ball is formed of hardmaterial to prevent animal gnawing thereof.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein food and water compartmentsare formed in said box to feed and water the animals trapped therein.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said box and said tube areformed of sheet metal.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein ventilation openings extendthrough said box to admit air to the animals trapped therein and a coverhingedly secured to said box to give access to the interior thereof.

1. An animal trap comprising a closed box, a tube opening through oneend of said box and sloping upwardly therefrom through said box, anopening in the upper side of said tube intermediate the opposite endsthereof, and a ball positioned in said tube nearly filling said tube forrolling action therein, said ball being movable by an animal from saidend opening up said tube past said upper side opening to permit theanimal to enter the box with the ball rolling back down the tube toclose the end opening and trap the animal.
 2. A device as claimed inclaim 1 wherein said ball is formed of hard material to prevent animalgnawing thereof.
 3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein food andwater compartments are formed in said box to feed and water the animalstrapped therein.
 4. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said box andsaid tube are formed of sheet metal.
 5. A device as claimed in claim 1wherein ventilation openings extend through said box to admit air to theanimals trapped therein and a cover hingedly secured to said box to giveaccess to the interior thereof.